OBJECT TRACKING AND STEER MANEUVERS FOR MATERIALS HANDLING VEHICLES
First Claim
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1. A method for a materials handling vehicle to automatically perform a steer correction maneuver comprising:
- receiving sensor data from at least one sensing device by a controller on a materials handling vehicle;
detecting based on the received sensor data that a first object is located in a first zone defined at least partially on a first side of the vehicle;
detecting based on the received sensor data that a second object is located in a second zone defined at least partially on a second side of the vehicle, wherein the second object is closer to a central axis of the vehicle than the first object; and
automatically performing a steer correction maneuver by steering the vehicle toward the first object so as to steer the vehicle away from the second object until at least one of;
the first object enters a predefined portion of the first zone; and
the second object exits a predefined portion of the second zone.
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Abstract
A materials handling vehicle automatically implements steer maneuvers when objects enter one or more zones proximate the vehicle, wherein the zones are monitored by a controller associated with the vehicle. The controller tracks objects in the zones via sensor data obtained from at least one obstacle sensor located on the vehicle and via dead reckoning. The objects are tracked by the controller until they are no longer in an environment proximate the vehicle. Different zones result in different steer maneuvers being implemented by the controller.
136 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method for a materials handling vehicle to automatically perform a steer correction maneuver comprising:
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receiving sensor data from at least one sensing device by a controller on a materials handling vehicle; detecting based on the received sensor data that a first object is located in a first zone defined at least partially on a first side of the vehicle; detecting based on the received sensor data that a second object is located in a second zone defined at least partially on a second side of the vehicle, wherein the second object is closer to a central axis of the vehicle than the first object; and automatically performing a steer correction maneuver by steering the vehicle toward the first object so as to steer the vehicle away from the second object until at least one of; the first object enters a predefined portion of the first zone; and the second object exits a predefined portion of the second zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for tracking objects detected by at least one sensing device on a materials handling vehicle, the method comprising:
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receiving sensor data from at least one sensing device by a controller on a materials handling vehicle, wherein the sensor data comprises; data representative of whether an object is detected in a scanned zone that is scanned by the at least one sensing device, the scanned zone being a part of an environment in which objects are tracked; and data representative of a lateral distance that any detected objects are from a reference coordinate associated with the vehicle; wherein each detected object is tracked until the object is no longer located in the environment by; assigning the object to at least one bucket defined within the scanned zone by the at least one sensing device; and using at least one of subsequent sensor data and dead reckoning to re-assign the object to adjacent buckets and to determine an updated lateral distance that the object is from the reference coordinate as the vehicle moves; and wherein the controller automatically implements a steer correction maneuver if a tracked object enters a steer away zone defined within the environment. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for a materials handling vehicle to automatically implement a steer maneuver comprising:
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receiving sensor data from at least one sensing device by a controller on a materials handling vehicle; detecting that a selected object is in an environment proximate the vehicle; and performing a steer maneuver by steering the vehicle such that the vehicle is substantially maintained at a desired distance from the selected object. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification